Friday, November 28, 2008

The tape begins near the end of the first verse of Train Kept a Rollin'. Things almost fall apart at the end of the song when Bonzo loses track of the beat. The problems continue during the initial verses of Nobody's Fault But Mine. Despite this, Page manages to deliver an excellent sticky-fingered guitar solo. As the song ends, he announces "there's two of us tonight who aren't feeling at all well... a bit of stomach trouble, so we're gonna do our best whatever, as usual." It's obvious that Bonzo is in bad shape, frequently falling behind the rest of the band during Black Dog. He can be heard saying "no way!" as Plant introduces In the Evening. Unfortunately, the song would not be played tonight. Following a long pause, Plant announces "just got a slight technical problem, if you can bear with us." The tape ends shortly thereafter without further explanation. Apparently, the band was forced to cancel the show after Bonzo collapsed onstage, allegedly the result of consuming a large quantity of bananas earlier in the day.

The crowd's anticipation builds to a frenzied peak as the band takes the stage before launching into a raucous Train Kept a Rollin'. Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "ooh la la la!" just before Nobody's Fault But Mine crashes into motion. Black Dog is once again introduced by Page as "schwarzhund." As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "as it's been such a long time since we were here in Vienna, we forgot exactly how beautiful it was... so let's hope that the concert can match the beauty of the city maybe." Page tears through an abrasive guitar solo during In the Evening. As the song comes to a close, Plant announces "please do not push too much, cause there are people at the front who are a little less fortunate than you, so keep it nice and cool, yeah?" Page shreds frantically through a series of blistering guitar solos during an aggressive Trampled Underfoot.

Achilles Last Stand seems to have been dropped from the setlist tonight, instead heading straight into White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Unfortunately, Page is struck by a firecracker just over two and a half minutes into the song, causing him to stop playing and leave the stage. Following a long pause, Claude Nobs makes a long announcement in german before telling the crowd that the perpetrator "must show up here before the show goes on!... I cannot leave him in the audience, we want to talk to him!" Eventually, the band returns to the stage amidst chants of "sorry!" and launches directly into Kashmir. Page hints at Das Deutschlandlied before a riotous Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The crowd erupts as Page plays the opening chords of Whole Lotta Love. Bonzo seems bored as he plods through the theremin freakout. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through an erratic guitar solo during the Boogie Chillen' section. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "don't forget, preserve the dinosaur, goodnight."

Train Kept a Rollin' is a chaotic explosion of energy. Page tears through the song at top speed as the band races to keep up with his ferocious attack. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, unable to handle the strain at times during Black Dog. Page blazes through a stick-fingered guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant announces "nice echo in here... many people play here today, or is this just part of the torture?" adding off-mic "fuckin' horrible place." The band hammers through an excellent In the Evening. Bonzo plays the opening snare pattern of Moby Dick as The Rain Song comes to a close. Plant dedicates Hot Dog to "our sound crew, who come from Dallas." Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo and Jones drop out of the mix momentarily toward the end of the song. The band pummels the crowd with an aggressive Achilles Last Stand. Plant delivers another powerful performance during a thunderous Kashmir, following a somewhat lackluster White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. Plant hints at Money before the show-closing Communication Breakdown, which begins with a slow, choppy intro from Page.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a distant audience source.

Plant barks aggressively as the band races through an explosive Train Kept a Rollin'. Bonzo forgets some of the breaks during Nobody's Fault But Mine, robbing the song of its dynamic tension. Plant's voice is a bit rough during In the Evening, he has trouble reaching some of the higher notes. The Rain Song is fantastic. As the song ends, Plant attempts to calm the rowdy crowd so Bonzo can introduce Hot Dog. Following All My Love, Plant announces "this is one we must dedicate to Phil Carson of Atlantic Records who, if he doesn't get his shit together shortly, will be... Trampled Underfoot." Bonzo mistakenly plays through the break following the guitar solo. Plant asks the crowd to stop pushing forward prior to a lackluster Since I've Been Loving You. As the song comes to a close, Bonzo can be heard shouting "be quiet, you cunt!" at the impatient crowd. The band plods through an uninspired Achilles Last Stand. Page gets a bit lost in the arrangement toward the end of the song. Plant delivers a powerful performance during Kashmir. Stairway to Heaven features an excellent guitar solo. Bonzo fumbles through the drum outburst at the end of Rock and Roll. The band closes the show with a violent Communication Breakdown. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you, it's nice to be... back, goodnight." A rather uninspired performance overall.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a fairly clear audience source.

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Page tears into the opening chords of Train Kept a Rollin'. Plant barks aggressively through Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. The band pummels the crowd with a devastatingly heavy Black Dog. Page shreds through a frenzied guitar solo near the end of In the Evening. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you most kindly," joking "the main group will be on shortly." Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "Moby Dick!" following The Rain Song, to which Plant responds "Bonzo can't do that anymore.

Trampled Underfoot is a brutal assault. Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo. An outstanding performance, one of the best in recent memory. Since I've Been Loving You features a violently emotional guitar solo. Page achieves some particularly beautiful passages during an occasionally sticky-fingered White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant delivers a strong performance during Kashmir, belting out each line with power and conviction. The crowd erupts as Stairway to Heaven begins. Plant sings "I keep changin' and changin' and changin'... but I keep comin' back!" following the fifth verse. Page's fingers are a bit sticky as he blazes through an echo-heavy guitar solo. His guitar cuts out briefly during the second verse of Rock and Roll. The band closes the show with a frenzied Heartbreaker. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the final verse. Another excellent performance.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through the first few bars of The Rain Song, is a fairly clear audience recording. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is another fantastic soundboard recording.

Bonzo can be heard shouting "can you hear me?" as he counts-in to a thunderous Nobody's Fault But Mine. The band hammers through a bone-crushing Black Dog, introduced by Page as "chien noir." Plant's voice is like gravel as he barks aggressively through each verse. The Rain Song is beautiful. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd "you remember that one?" joking "you're showin' your age." Hot Dog is introduced as "a song about two fools, three fools, in fact... lots of fools." Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Since I've Been Loving You is excellent. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he blazes through an emotionally charged guitar solo.

The band pummels the crowd with a devastating Achilles Last Stand. Page stops playing momentarily near the beginning of White Summer/Black Mountain Side to calm the rowdy crowd, saying "we came here cause we really loved ya and we really wanted to play to ya... the trouble is, at the moment, I can't even hear myself play." He briefly hints at Chim Chim Cher-ee prior to Stairway to Heaven. The crowd erupts as a high-speed Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The band closes the show with an outstanding Whole Lotta Love. The theremin freakout is a cacophonous explosion of energy. Plant sings "that little boy's reach the age of thirty-one!" during his boogie rap, joking "I mean twenty-four, sorry." Page tears through a frenzied guitar solo during the riotous Boogie Chillen' section. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "it's been fantastic." An excellent performance.

The tape is an outstanding soundboard recording, briefly augmented by an audience source.

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck as Plant greets the crowd with a gravelly "good evenin'!" Train Kept a Rollin' is a chaotic explosion of energy. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through the guitar solo. Black Dog is once again introduced as "schwarzhund" by a suddenly talkative Page. The band gets a bit lost at times during Trampled Underfoot, unsure of the changes. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. Since I've Been Loving You is a mess. Page's playing is sloppy and out of tune throughout. The crowd can be heard chanting "Rock and Roll!" as the song comes to a close. The band hammers through an urgent Kashmir. Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous fills. As the song ends, Plant jokes "there's quite a lot to be said for dinosaurs." The band races through a riotous Rock and Roll before closing the show with a violently aggressive Communication Breakdown, played at lightning speed. An explosive finale to a somewhat lackluster performance.

The tape is a matrix of another bare bones soundboard recording and a noisy audience source.

Ten months after their triumphanthomecoming, the band returns to Germany to begin a short tour of Europe in preparation for a prospective 1980 North American tour. The setlist has seen another major overhaul to cut the fat and condense the show into a dynamic two hour affair. This new, modern Led Zeppelin show begins with an old favorite, Train Kept a Rollin', taking the opening slot for the first time since 8/31/1969. Page tears through an explosive wah-wah workout during the guitar solo. The band gets a bit lost at times during the new arrangement of Nobody's Fault But Mine, which drops the usual guitar/vocal intro, launching straight into the first verse. Bonzo can be heard shouting "intermission!" as Page greets the crowd before introducing Black Dog as "schwarzhund." Plant's voice is rough, but strong as he attacks each verse with raw aggression.

In the Evening is preceded by a short droning into, dropping the bow solo completely. Page's playing is choppy and abrasive, a far cry from his former fluency. The Rain Song is introduced as "a song about love affairs that go adrift." Bonzo can be heard shouting "interval!" at the end of Hot Dog, which is followed by the first performance of All My Love. Page shreds wildly through a sharp, angular guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Plant sings "take me to the bridge!" as Page begins the guitar solo during Since I've Been Loving You. Achilles Last Stand is played at a more relaxed pace than usual, closer to the studio version than the frantic explosions of the past. Bonzo can once again be heard begging for an interval as the song comes to a close. Page blazes through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. The band closes the show with a strange hybrid of Whole Lotta Love and Heartbreaker, with the latter dropped in the middle of the former. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "goodnight, dinosaurs rule!"

The tape is a bare bones soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a poor audience source.

A week after night one of the 1979 Knebworth Festival, the band returns for what will prove to be their final performance in England. The nerves of the first show have subsided and the band launches into The Song Remains the Same with power and gusto. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during a frantic Celebration Day. The massive crowd sings along with every word during a bone-crushing Black Dog. Plant has some trouble with his microphone during the initial verses of Over the Hills and Far Away, which causes a series of loud popping noises. Page's fingers get caught in the strings of his guitar during the song's outro.

Since I've Been Loving You is simply outstanding. Page blazes through a fantastic guitar solo with incredible fluency and precision. An unbelievably powerful performance, one of the best in recent memory. Jones briefly hints at Your Time is Gonna Come near the end of an excellent piano solo during the band's final performance of No Quarter. Page tears through an amazing guitar solo, shredding wildly during the song's explosive outro. In mentioning the new album, Plant tells the crowd "it's called In Through the Out Door, which is... one of those methods of entry that proves to be harder than one would originally expect." Hot Dog is dedicated to "the texas road crew and all the people to be found in the sleazy hangouts around there." Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "New York City!" as Page begins The Rain Song. Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous fills near the end of Kashmir. Page stumbles through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot.

Achilles Last Stand is a bit dull and uninspired, despite Bonzo's efforts to inject some energy into the performance. Page gets lost near the end of the song. Plant delivers an incredibly powerful performance during In the Evening. As the song ends, someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "happy birthday Robert Plant!", to which Plant responds "not yet, one week." The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page flubs the guitar solo during Whole Lotta Love. The biggest surprise of the night is the inclusion of the Boogie Chillen' section for the first time since 7/29/1973. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo. Plant shreds his voice as the band hammers through a blistering Communication Breakdown. An explosive finale to a somewhat uneven performance. As the band leaves the stage for the last time, Plant announces "thank you very much indeed... we'll see ya soon, very soon."

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, with Page a bit buried in the mix at times. Unfortunately, there is a somewhat distracting high pitch buzz throughout the second half of the show.

Following a four year absence, Led Zeppelin make their triumphant return to England with two of the biggest shows of their career. However, despite two successful warm-upgigs in Denmark two weeks earlier, the band is still nervous to be performing for their home crowd after such a long break. The apprehension is evident as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. Page has lost the fluency of his Denmark performances, causing him to stumble a bit during the sticky-fingered guitar solos and Plant's voice is a little rusty at times. On the other hand, Bonzo is a thunderous explosion of energy, his powerful hammering is the backbone of the band. Following a high-speed Celebration Day, Plant greets the massive crowd, joking "I told Pagey that one or two people would be here, but he said he doubted it very much." Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the guitar solo in Black Dog. Plant unleashes some spine-chilling shrieks during the initial verses. The band hammers through an abrasive Misty Mountain Hop.

Since I've Been Loving You is absolutely fantastic. Page leads the band on an intense emotional journey, tearing each note of the guitar solo from the depths of his soul. A phenomenal performance, one of the best in recent memory. Jones is introduced as "the man from Casablanca" before No Quarter. Page is on fire as he blazes through an excellent guitar solo, shredding furiously during the blistering outro jam. An outstanding performance. Plant shouts "come on, let's hoedown!" at the beginning of Hot Dog. The Rain Song is beautiful. The crowd erupts as a powerful Kashmir launches into motion. Plant's howls echo over the field and into infinity as the band thunders through the intimidating march. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo during an incredibly aggressive Trampled Underfoot. The band hammers through a brutal Sick Again, introduced as a song that "relates the experience of the lobby and going down to get some cigarettes at ten thirty, rather than bein' in bed." Page tears through a frenzied guitar solo near the end of the song. Afterward, Plant jokes "so we got the cigarettes and carried straight on up to bed."

Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums during an explosive Achilles Last Stand. Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to the crowd, thanking them for coming "on a blind date." Page blazes through a blistering guitar solo. The crowd sings the final line along with Plant. The first encore is preceded by ten solid minutes of cheering. As the band returns to the stage following a riotous Rock and Roll, Plant leads the crowd in a sing-along of You'll Never Walk Alone. The new arrangement of Whole Lotta Love is devastatingly heavy. As the song ends, Plant announces "thanks for eleven years." The band returns to the stage one more time to close the show with the first appearance of Heartbreaker since 6/21/1977. Page shreds wildly though the guitar solos. The crowd is left begging for more as the band leaves the stage for the final time.

The tape is a fantastic soundboard recording, augmented briefly by an audience source.

Since Blogger has seen fit to impose a limit of twenty labels per post and Led Zeppelin saw fit to occasionally perform more than twenty songs in one evening, I've been forced to carry those extra songs over to this supplemental post. For the full review of this performance, please see 8/4/1979 Knebworth, England (part one).

Following a successful premiere the night before, the band returns for their second and final warm-up gig before returning to England to headline the Knebworth Festival. The energy is high as the band hammers through the opening numbers. Page shreds frantically through the guitar solo during Celebration Day. Plant announces "very nice to have the lights back with us tonight" before Black Dog. Nobody's Fault But Mine features a blistering guitar solo from Page. The band races through a fast-paced Misty Mountain Hop. No Quarter is short and dynamic. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. The crowd's rhythmic clapping returns during the intro to Ten Years Gone. Page plays with incredible fluency during the guitar solos. The Rain Song is beautiful.

There is a slight cut during the transition from White Summer/Black Mountain Side to Kashmir. Plant delivers a powerful performance during the latter. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which is followed by the return of Sick Again. Plant introduces a frantic Achilles Last Stand as the best track on Presence. The walls of the theater quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous pounding as Page tears through the frenzied guitar solos. A brutally heavy performance. In the Evening is explosive, a major highlight of the new setlist. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven, one of the best in recent memory. The band closes the show with a radical new arrangement of Whole Lotta Love. Another excellent performance. Must hear.

The tape is very clear and well-balanced, if a bit fuzzy around the edges.

Friday, November 14, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Achilles Last Stand, In the Evening, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

Two years after tragedy brought the 1977 North American tour to an abrupt end, the band has risen from the ashes to prepare for the biggestshows of their career with two warm-up gigs in Denmark. The setlist has undergone a few changes to make room for a couple new songs from the band's yet to be released final studio albumIn Through the Out Door, along with some old favorites. As the band takes the stage, Plant complains about the lights, telling the crowd "we must apologize... the lights keep going down, so we're gonna play with like half a light show, okay?" After a long pause, the show finally gets underway with the familiar opening chords of The Song Remains the Same. The band is full of energy as they hammer through the song with incredible intensity. Plant is still getting a feel for his mature voice, missing a few notes that used to come more easily. As the song ends, Page launches into the first appearance of Celebration Day since 7/29/1973.

Plant tells the crowd "it's been eight years since we were here last time, so there's not too much talkin' to do... quite a bit of playing" before introducing a bone-crushing Black Dog. Page is on fire, shredding wildly during the guitar solo. Plant walks away from the microphone to retrieve his harmonica before introducing Nobody's Fault But Mine, telling the crowd "this is from Blind Willie Johnson." Over the Hills and Far Away is immediately followed by a high-speed Misty Mountain Hop, its first appearance since the end of the 1973 North American tour. Page seems a bit lost during the guitar solo. Since I've Been Loving You is played in a jazzy new arrangement. Page blazes through a fantastic extended guitar solo. Plant's voice is still a bit rusty, he has trouble reaching some of the higher notes. No Quarter has been stripped down to basics, replacing the overindulgent marathons of the past with a much more efficient arrangement. The crowd begins clapping rhythmically during any lull in Jones's piano solo. Page tears through the guitar solo with amazing fluency and precision.

Plant mentions the new album before the first premiere of the night, Hot Dog. Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting a mispronounced "D'yer Mak'er!", to which Plant responds "never 'eard of it" before introducing a beautiful rendition of The Rain Song, performed for the first time since the final night at Earls Court. Kashmir is preceded by an abbreviated White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant hints at Back Door Man before a thunderous Achilles Last Stand, played at a more relaxed tempo than usual. The second premiere of the night comes with the first performance of In the Evening, which is preceded by a short bows solo from Page. Plant delivers a powerful performance, belting out each line with bravado. The crowd erupts as Page begins Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage following a raucous Rock and Roll, Plant announces "thank you very much, it was... okay, goodnight." An excellent first outing for a new, more professional Led Zeppelin. Must hear.

The tape is absolutely fantastic, one of the best audience recordings ever made.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Mystery Train, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

Another beautiful summer afternoon greets the band as they return for their second show at Oakland Coliseum. Page and Plant are still a bit rusty as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. There is a slight cut during the initial verses. The band completely loses track of one another at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant thanks Bill Graham, saying "I think he built the place especially for rock concerts." Page shreds through a blistering guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. The tape is cut between songs, missing the first few notes of the intro to Over the Hills and Far Away. Since I've Been Loving You is violently emotional. There is a slight cut in the middle of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter. The band skips the upbeat interlude, instead heading directly into Page's erratic guitar solo. Things become a bit disjointed during the outro. Ten Years Gone is introduced as "a song about the first love, the one that you left behind that you can never quite reach back to."

Black Country Woman is preceded by a fantastic impromptu rendition of Mystery Train. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp features a short bass solo before the guitar breakdown. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which Plant introduces as a song that "refers to the careful looking after of an automobile." Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo. Kashmir is a bit dull and uninspired, despite Plant's enthusiastic delivery. The beginning of Page's experimental guitar solo is missing from the tape, picking up just before the bow section. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Bonzo misses his cue for the big fill near the end of the song, causing a moment of confused hesitation. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage following a quick and nasty Rock and Roll, Plant announces "thanks a lot folks, see ya again!" Unfortunately, the rest of the tour would be cancelled when Plant's son Karac died suddenly two days later, making this the band's final performance in America. The end of an era.

The tape is fairly clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy and overloaded at times. It seems to run a bit fast as well.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Black Dog

What will prove to be the penultimate performance of the 1977 North American tour begins with someone near the taper shouting "this is gonna be great!" as the band takes the stage. Plant greets the crowd, saying "good afternoon... good morning!" before The Song Remains the Same launches into motion. Memories of the disaster in Tempe three nights earlier are still fresh as Page shreds erratically through the guitar solos. Plant's voice is still a bit rough, he has trouble hitting some of the higher notes near the end of Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "if we seem to be just a little bit sluggish now... we're just starting to liven up, cause we've only been awake about forty-five minutes," joking "so this is what they call daylight." Since I've Been Loving You is introduced as "a blues for a summer day."

There is a cut in the tape near the beginning of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter. Page is absent for most of the honky tonk breakdown, leaving Jones to vamp alone. His fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through a disjointed guitar solo. Ten Years Gone is a mess. Page completely destroys the first guitar solo. Plant mentions the band's days at the Winterland while introducing the acoustic set. The beginning of The Battle of Evermore is met with a barrage of firecracker blasts. Going to California is mournfully beautiful. The sound of a passing helicopter introduces White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach as the band hammers through a frantic Achilles Last Stand, a devastating performance. Page blazes through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. As the band returns to the stage, Plant asks the crowd where they're going after the show, joking "can we come?" Rock and Roll is quick and dirty. The band closes the show with a bone-crushing Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant announces "good afternoon, it's been great... it's worth seeing the daylight after all."

The tape begins with a barrage of firecracker blasts as the band prepares for the acoustic set. Plant is still having trouble with his voice, completely losing control toward the end of The Battle of Evermore. The taper can be heard fiddling with his microphone throughout Going to California. Plant's weak voice forces him to alter the song's melody to compensate. Page wanders aimlessly through an uninspired guitar breakdown during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. The band plods through a lackluster Trampled Underfoot. Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "The Lemon Song!" as the piece comes to a close.

Page abandons White Summer tonight, playing only a few bars of Black Mountain Side before jumping directly into Kashmir without the rest of the band. Unfortunately, a cut in the tape near the end of the song leaves us at the beginning of the bow section during the experimental guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a disaster. Page constantly gets lost in the arrangement, resulting in a chaotic cacophony of mistakes as the band struggles to get back on track. The studio recording of All Right Now can be heard bleeding through the tape as the song ends. The distracting effect continues through the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you very much, you've been too kind... really."

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

Following a three week hiatus, the band returns to the states to begin the ill-fated third leg of the 1977 North American tour. The break has left everyone a bit rusty and it shows as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. The spark of energy present in some of the earlier performances has died down and the result is a band that sounds tired, despite Bonzo's efforts to inject some excitement into the proceedings. Plant's vocal troubles have returned and Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings of his guitar at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant mentions "Jimmy's got a touch of sleepin' sickness" before telling the crowd "what we're gonna try and do is play, and play, and play... nonstop."

Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as a song "about some part of the holy land." Page gets lost during a disastrous, out of tune guitar solo. Jones wanders off track during the transition back to the main theme. Page stumbles during the intro to Since I've Been Loving You. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as the song reaches its frenzied peak. Jones's piano solo develops into a laid-back boogie shuffle as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. The band fumbles through a lackluster Ten Years Gone. Plant completely loses control of his voice near the end of The Battle of Evermore. He can be heard coughing off-mic as the song comes to a close.

Going to California is dedicated to "anybody who's come from Alaska." As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I think it's about the lousiest thing that you can possibly do, to throw firecrackers." Page once again breaks a string during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, leaving Jones to improvise a short bass solo, which transforms into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of It's All Right With Me as Plant and Bonzo join in. Kashmir is dull and uninspired. Equipment troubles force Page to abandon the electronic noise section during the experimental guitar solo. The band is all over the place during a disjointed Achilles Last Stand. Page blazes through an epic guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Rock and Roll.

Friday, November 7, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled underfoot, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

The band returns for their sixth and final night at The Forum and it's obvious that the frenzy of the first few LA shows is wearing thin. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during The Song Remains the Same and Plant's voice takes a few songs to really warm up. The band flirts with disaster during an incredibly loose Sick Again, constantly on the edge of falling apart. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we're gonna do our best to play... until we fall over." Page adds a beautiful prologue to the beginning of Over the Hills and Far Away. He shreds erratically through an extended guitar solo. Plant introduces Since I've Been Loving You, which is dedicated to J.J. Jackson, as "a song about a little bit of distress in a relationship."

Jones is introduced as "the man who went to sleep last night with... some strawberry tart in the pocket of his jeans" before No Quarter. The instrumental section begins with an ominous electric piano interlude, punctuated by a shrieking chorus of theramin squeals. Jones's piano solo develops into an excellent blues improvisation as Page and Bonzo join in. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through a long, wandering guitar solo. Jones erupts in a furious cascade of notes as the piece nears its conclusion. Page stumbles through a lackluster Ten Years Gone, unable to find his footing during the guitar solos. The Battle of Evermore is introduced as "a song that's very reminiscent of somewhere we're gonna be in about twenty-four hours time." Plant dedicates Going to California to "every Californian Badge Holder we've ever had." The band gets into a brief rendition of Muddy Waters's I Can't Be Satisfied prior to Black Country Woman. Page breaks a string in the middle of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, which features an abbreviated acoustic performance of Dancing Days during the guitar breakdown.

The crowd erupts as Kashmir launches into motion. The band hammers through an erratic Trampled Underfoot. Page embarks on another endless experimental guitar solo following Over the Top, obsessively repeating the theme from America during the electronic noise section. The band is incredibly loose during Achilles Last Stand, almost to a fault. Bonzo's performance is particularly unpredictable. There is a cleverly disguised cut in the middle of the song. Plant announces "it's been great, six days, six concerts in LA... it's been a mind-bender" before Stairway to Heaven. Page fumbles through a choppy, disjointed guitar solo. Plant takes time to thank a number of people, including "the Badge Holders of California" before a violently aggressive Whole Lotta Love. The band closes the show with a riotous Rock and Roll. An explosive finale to the band's final performance in the city that has become their second home.

The tape is the tenth and final Mike Millard recording. Very clear and well-balanced, if a bit hissy during the quieter moments.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Song Remains the Same*, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, That's All Right, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, It'll Be Me

*- It'll Be Me (TDOLZ)

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck, followed by an excited holler from the taper as Page launches into The Song Remains the Same. Plant barks aggressively as the band hammers through a brutal Sick Again. Page shreds through a blistering guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd if they're familiar with Badge Holders, explaining "to be a Badge Holder is to be someone's loved one and to hold a badge." Over the Hills and Far Away is dedicated to Richard Cole, "who hasn't got a Badge Holder." Page tears through a wild, spaced-out guitar solo as Bonzo and Jones explore a funky groove. Since I've Been Loving You is an intense emotional journey, introduced as "a blues for Badge Holders."

Jones's piano solo develops into an excellent blues shuffle as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. The band is absolutely on fire as Page blazes through a fantastically epic guitar solo. He shreds wildly through the song's explosive outro. An amazing performance. The band gets into an excellent impromptu rendition of That's All Right prior to Black Country Woman. Page wanders through a seemingly endless, twenty-two minute White Summer/Black Mountain Side, the longest ever. Plant delivers a strong performance during a thunderous Kashmir, belting out each line with power and bravado. Only the intro and outro of Over the Top survive on the tape, cutting out the majority of the drum solo. Page's experimental guitar solo is unbearably long, stretching well beyond twenty minutes in length.

The band pummels the crowd during a frantic Achilles Last Stand. Bonzo thrashes at his drums with incredible intensity as Page shreds wildly through the guitar solos. The combined sonic assault threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. An utterly devastating performance. Stairway to Heaven features an outstanding guitar solo from Page. His fingers race across the fretboard in an endless cascade of notes as the band slowly builds to an explosive climax. A fantastic performance, one of the best in recent memory. Plant tells the crowd "we're gonna try something off the new album that's coming out in about, um... in a period of time," adding "yes, we're actually gonna record again" before the band closes the show with a riotous rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis's It'll Be Me. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you LA, twenty-five past midnight, goodnight!"

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In My Time of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Communication Breakdown

The band returns for their fourth night at The Forum and it's evident that some of the initial frenzy has worn off as the show gets underway. Page's playing is very loose during The Song Remains the Same, almost to a fault at times. Plant once again mentions the Badge Holders before Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page shreds wildly through an excellent guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we intend to try and put as much gusto as possible into a saturday night for ya." The band's final performance of In My Time of Dying features a short impromptu rendition of Rip it Up during Plant's "oh my Jesus" break. Page is on fire during a powerful Since I've Been Loving You, his fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the guitar solo. No Quarter features an excellent blues improvisation during Jones's piano solo. Page blazes through an epic guitar solo.

A woman near the taper can be heard shouting "and did you know that it is against the law to rock and roll in the United States of America?" as The Battle of Evermore comes to a close. Plant introduces Going to California as "the search for the Badge Holder." The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous fills near the end of Kashmir. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which is dedicated to Robert Johnson. Page shreds through a somewhat erratic guitar solo. Bonzo is introduced as "the mainstay of the whole driving force behind sleeping with Led Zeppelin" before a marathon Over the Top. The band pummels the crowd with a frantic Achilles Last Stand. Plant hints at Communication Breakdown before Stairway to Heaven, which featuresan amazing guitar solo from Page. As the band returns to the stage, Plant announces "Led Zeppelin salutes a permanent Badge Holder" after greeting groupie Lori Maddox. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a funky intro. The band closes the show with an explosive Communication Breakdown, its first and only appearance in 1977.

The tape is yet another excellent Mike Millard recording. Very clear and well-balanced, if a bit hissy at times.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

The legendary For Badge Holders Only show begins with a brief soundcheck before the band launches into The Song Remains the Same. Page seems to be having trouble with his equipment, causing him to fumble through the guitar solos. The band stops playing as the song ends, leaving Plant to welcome the crowd to "three hours of lunacy" before dedicating Sick Again to John Reid. Nobody's Fault But Mine features an excellent guitar solo. Plant dedicates Over the Hills and Far Away to "perhaps the biggest dreamer in the world... a star quality Badge Holder too, Mr. John Bindon." Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful.

No Quarter is introduced as "a song about one of those journeys that sometimes can bring surprises that you don't expect to encounter." The instrumental section is introduced by an extended electric piano interlude followed by a series of ghostly theramin howls. Jones's fingers dance across the keys during a fantastic piano solo, which develops into an outstanding blues improvisation as Page and Bonzo join in. The band moves as one as they embark on an epic journey, led by the urgent cadences of Page's blistering guitar solo. The frenzy reaches its peak during the violently explosive finale. A phenomenal performance, the best ever. The band is in high spirits, joking around with each other as Plant attempts to introduce an excellent Ten Years Gone, called "Ten Years Bonham" tonight. Page blazes through the guitar solos. Plant announces "tonight's word in the concert is 'badge'," adding "if you are a Badge Holder of a rock star, you are somebody to be reckoned with" before The Battle of Evermore. Going to California is introduced as "a song that refers to the constant search for the Badge Holder." Plant hints at D'yer Mak'er before Black Country Woman.

The band gets completely lost after Jones misses a change during Kashmir, taking an eternity to get back on track. Plant is the only one who seems to know what he's doing. The band hammers through an impromptu Trampled Underfoot following a shouted request from Bonzo. Page disappears momentarily during the initial verses. The biggest surprise of the night is the unannounced appearance of Keith Moon, running onstage during Over the Top, shouting "the best rock and roll drummer in the world living today, Mr. John Bonham!" and "hey John, whip Buddy Rich's ass!... show those jazz motherfuckers!" He later attacks Bonzo's drum kit during the tympani section, violently thrashing at anything within reach. As the song ends, Plant introduces the two drummers as "the dynamic loonies!" Moon announces "I'm looking forward to coming back here with my backing group later on in the year" before leaving the stage.

Page plays a bit of God Save the Queen before The Star-Spangled Banner during the experimental guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Page shreds through the guitar solos as Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous pounding. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you very much, I hope we're not keepin' you up." Stairway to Heaven features a fantastically epic guitar solo. Keith Moon returns to the stage, ranting and raving about rock and roll before Whole Lotta Love. The band plus Moon close the show with a quick and dirty Rock and Roll. Plant announces "LA, it's been very funny, goodnight" as they leave the stage. A fitting end to this wild party.

The tape is a combination of at least two sources. The first, used through Over the Hills and Far Away, is very clear and well-balanced. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is another excellent Mike Millard recording.

Monday, November 3, 2008

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In My Time of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Over the Hills and Far Away, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

The band's second night in LA and the frenzy has not let up. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as Page shreds erratically through a frantic The Song Remains the Same. The combined sonic assault threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. Plant barks aggressively as the band pummels the crowd with another brutal Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant exclaims "give it a rest!" in response to a series of firecracker blasts, insisting "leave it out, we don't want that!" The band hammers through a bone-crushing In My Time of Dying, even getting into an impromptu lemon-squeezing interlude following the You Shook Me tease. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I lay awake til dawn this mornin', thinkin' about lemons... and the lack of squeezers."

Since I've Been Loving You is incredibly raw and powerful. No Quarter is an epic journey. Jones's piano solo gives way to an excellent blues rock jam before Page embarks on a long, wandering guitar solo. He shreds wildly during the song's outro. An otherwise beautiful Going to California is interrupted by someone near the taper shouting "fuck all you pigs!" very close to the microphone. Page breaks a string during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, leaving Jones to improvise a short bass solo. The song's momentum is disrupted briefly as Page pauses to tune the guitar upon his return. The crowd erupts as the band launches into a devastating Kashmir. Plant's aggressive howls echo through the arena as the band hammers through the thunderous march.

Bonzo is introduced as "the more peace-loving, placid member of the band" before Over the Top. The first mention of the mysterious Badge Holders comes as Plant calls Bonzo "a friend of a diamond-studded Badge Holder" as the drum solo comes to a close. The biggest surprise of the night is the inclusion of Over the Hills and Far Away so late in the set. Plant has returned to the more manageable post-1972 melody for the chorus. Page blazes through a spaced-out guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Bonzo pummels his drums with incredible power and intensity as Page tears through the guitar solos. Stairway to Heaven features an outstanding guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant announces "that's about three hours and ten minutes, love ya, goodnight!" The band closes the show with a wildly cacophonous Rock and Roll. Another devastating performance at The Forum.

The tape is a combination of five sources. The first, used through Since I've Been Loving You, is noisy and overloaded. The second, inexplicably used only for the final note of Since I've Been Loving You and the initial verses of No Quarter, is very clear and well-balanced. The third, used for the remainder of No Quarter, is fairly clear, but extremely hissy. The fourth, used for Ten Years Gone (available here for the first time), is very muffled and distorted. The fifth, used for the remainder of the show, is fairly clear and well-balanced, if a bit distant and noisy in the high end.